Monday, August 26, 2013

Evariste!

In January, I finished an opera libretto titled EVARISTE and sent it to the London-based Icelandic composer, Helgi Ingvarsson, to work his magic. This happened over the weekend:

Evariste Galois was an 18th-century math genius whose ideas were rejected by the leading mathematicians of the period; he spent the last two years of his brief life falling in love, fighting for democracy, and submitting (without success) his mathematical theories. After a short imprisonment and a doomed love affair, he died in a duel at the age of 20, but not before revising, one last time, his brilliant journal that would identify and explain group theory (and revolutionize 20th-century mathematics).Hooray, Evariste!Helgi also created a "Mutter Music Suite" based on the first scene in the libretto. The music was premiered inSalurinn, Iceland on August 7th by the Bartholdy Quartet and recorded live. I realized I was holding my breath as I listened to the music--it so perfectly captures the mood and lyrics. I'm looking forward to the next installment--music and lyrics together. And more more more. Bravo, Helgi! The chamber orchestra live recording is here.